Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 27, 2019

As a mentor to entrepreneurs, I often get asked for the magic that has made Amazon the world's most valuable brand , from a total unknown only twenty years ago. My simple answer is that they keep their focus on customers, rather than technology. Jeff Bezos has kept his focus on customers.

Marketing 123

Marketing Technical Review Customer Custom 123

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2020

Anyone can build a new web site, or publish a smartphone app for a few thousand dollars, but getting market penetration requires a lot more. Customers have come to expect disruptive change, so yet another social network is not the way to get traction. Take a hard look at SpaceX or HyperLoop.

Entrepreneur 143

Entrepreneur Social Network SpaceX Ideas 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2023

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Organization 92

Organization Incubator Startup Resource 92

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 21, 2020

Many of the entrepreneurs I advise or invest with spend considerable time on the Internet, keeping up with technology, customers, and competitors, but very few feel the need for an early personal presence. In fact, some totally avoid it, assuming their product or solution will speak for itself later.

Product 127

Product Entrepreneur Technical Advisors Technical Review 127

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

The day will include an introduction to Javascipt, Jquery, Knockout JS, HTML5/CSS – Responsive web design, Nodejs, Javascript Patterns and many more!! The following are a few of the expert speakers you will learn from: Nathan Totten , a technical evangelist at Microsoft specializing in Windows Azure, web development, and Node.js.

JavaScript 93

JavaScript Long Beach Java .Net 93

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 12, 2013

He shared tons of information about how how they were using marketing to quantitatively make marketing decisions at HauteLook and acquire customers for prices that were far cheaper than similar companies. Natural mentors – a desire to help. On each subsequent meeting I’d learn a little bit more. Community builders.

Venture Capital 360

Venture Capital GRP Partners Startup Invest 360

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2018

Anyone can build a new web site, or publish a smartphone app for a few thousand dollars, but getting market penetration requires a lot more. Customers have come to expect disruptive change, so yet another social network is not the way to get traction. Take a hard look at SpaceX or HyperLoop.

Entrepreneur 86

Entrepreneur Social Network SpaceX Ideas 86

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 7, 2013

I acted as the occasional mentor, advisor and coach to Ethan. And because I wanted Ethan to be able to attract a great team, build & iterate a product, test it with initial customers and refine his strategy before having to take the wrappers off of his company. The company was called Red Beacon. So there you have it.

CTO Coach 359

CTO Coach Google CTO Hire Yammer 359

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2016

Anyone can build a new web site, or publish a smartphone app for a few thousand dollars, but getting market penetration requires a lot more. Customers have come to expect disruptive change, so yet another social network is not the way to get traction. Take a hard look at SpaceX or HyperLoop.

Entrepreneur 103

Entrepreneur Social Network SpaceX Ideas 103

socalTECH

DECEMBER 10, 2010

Custom Insurance Programs for Technology Companies. With Vistage, you'll benefit from: Advisory Board Peer Group Meetings; Private 1-to-1 Mentoring Sessions; Expert Speaker Workshops; Content and Connectivity Online. Pixelgate.net (www.pixelgate.net) - Internet Access, Web Hosting, Network. Need office or Tech Space?

SoCalTech 127

SoCalTech Advertising Rustic Canyon Glendale 127

socalTECH

OCTOBER 30, 2009

Custom Insurance Programs for Technology Companies. Cadence, Intel, IBM, Freescale, Mentor Graphics, Synopsys, LSI, X-Fab, and many other leading-edge. Pixelgate.net (www.pixelgate.net) - Internet Access, Web Hosting, Network. We Create Demand for California's Technology Companies. The City of Glendale (www.thinkglendale.com).

Southern California 140

Southern California IP Orange County Glendale 140

socalTECH

APRIL 11, 2013

I don''t know if you''ve heard, but it''s actually tough for music teachers, tutors, and others to truly find enough customers to pay their bills and keep them involved in their passions. The idea is that products have moved to the web in a big way. Who''s your ideal customer for this?

Startup 260

Startup Education Study Ideas 260

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 13, 2011

That results in huge savings--up to 75 percent--in price, and you can also do it all in about ten minutes, because we've integrated directly with your course schedule, and filtered through the entire web simultaneously. How did you come up with the web site? They act as mentors and help companies grow.

UCSD 185

UCSD Course Startup Sites 185

Tech.Co

MARCH 1, 2018

The event is open to tech enthusiasts who want to join an event filled with some of the top leaders, investors and mentors from tech industry to network, find mentors and build their companies. These days it seems like a professional is needed to interpret a business’ web analytics. The Mentor Method (Washington, D.C.).

Startup 79

Startup Mentor Platform Help 79

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2012

This was the first in her string of web properties. She focused on her customer. Tracy is knowledgeable enough to talk tech and swap design & product stories with other founders, but she realized early that networking amongst this group and reading and writing in their journals would not bring her more customers.

Startup 363

Startup Entrepreneur SEO Venture Capital 363

socalTECH

SEPTEMBER 25, 2009

Custom Insurance Programs for Technology Companies. Cadence, Intel, IBM, Freescale, Mentor Graphics, Synopsys, LSI, X-Fab, and many other leading-edge companies, universities, and organizations will be sharing their latest technologies, products, and services in this unique Southern California event. Startups Made Simple.

Advertising 113

Advertising Southern California IP VentureNet 113

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2018

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Incubator 87

Incubator Startup Resource Seed Funding 87

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 7, 2012

We have about 8500 customers there, but only a small percentage have built great communities that took off, and the rest floundered. That's why we built FanMix, to solve our own problem, and help our SocialEngine customers to promote their own sites. We have some great mentors now. After TechStars, how did you end up in LA?

Startup 242

Startup CTO Coach Blogging Social Media 242

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 17, 2016

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Incubator 106

Incubator Startup Help Resource 106

Tech Zulu Event

JANUARY 30, 2012

Mobile Web America, Inc. CallFire provides Voice and SMS Solutions to over 40,000 customers including political groups, non-profits, insurance agents, small business owners, and marketers. We leverage our network in the Los Angeles community to provide members with access to potential employees, mentors and investors.

CalTech 91

CalTech Company Companies Idealab 91

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 21, 2012

In 1987, Kricfalusi’s mentor, ‘Ralph Bakshi’ , “saved” him by hiring him as supervising director on his show “The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse” where he and Ralph reintroduced the classic cartoon unit system and put cartoonists back in control of all the creative decisions.

Startup 111

Startup Web Mentor Los Angeles 111

Tech Zulu Event

SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Using his connections, he was able to raise funding from his family and other investors to co-found Appboy , a customer relationship management platform for mobile app developers and marketers. Do you have any mentors that have been an integral part of your success? In other words, how do you stay SANE? Who inspires you? About Appboy.

Startup 82

Startup Mobile Platform Ideas 82

Tech Zulu Event

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

At least that’s what everyone would have you believe, but Marie Forleo who describes herself as ”part business strategist, part marketing maven and part spiritual ass-kicker with a side of hip-hop swagger” has captured the hearts and minds of professional women through her Rich, Happy and Hot web series and business.

Hollywood 100

Hollywood Screening Ideas Entertainment 100

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2017

As a starting point the more you’re on their mind the more likely they’re out advocating on your behalf when they are out talking with senior executives at potential customers, future potential investors, potential employees, biz dev partners, journalists and all of the other constituencies where investors should be helping you. It happens.

Tips 212

Tips Slides Startup Technical Review 212

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2017

That means that you need to overtly market yourself, rather than wait and hope that the right people or customers will find you. In my long-time role as a mentor and business advisor, I still see too many people who are waiting to be found as a candidate for their dream role, or waiting for investors to find their startup.

Startup 55

Startup Organization Newsletter Content 55

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 16, 2013

By using SteelHouse, ecommerce sites can use live data to instantly respond to a customer’s wants and needs for stronger transaction values, increased conversion rates, and an overall better customer experience. Abrams, Jim Wiatt, and Zach James have presented at Amplify’s Wednesday evening mentor events.

Startup 111

Startup Snapchat Venice Social Media 111

Tech Zulu Event

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

They have hired great people, have brought on great mentors, have raised money from top tier investors, and we are excited for a bunch of big announcements in the months ahead,” said Teller. Less Neglect helps companies reduce churn, upsell users, and increase customer acquisition rates. YieldMetrics has already raised $1.7

GRP Partners 96

GRP Partners Startup Tech Coast Angels Bertelsmann 96

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 27, 2011

Where Stealth is Good – There’s a lot of discussions on the web about whether startups should be stealthy before they launch or not. They certainly struggle to find mentors as there is nothing more frustrating than trying to help a company who is afraid to tell you anything. You need some guidelines to make decisions.

Marketing 380

Marketing Startup Press Technical Advisors 380

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014

A few are still trying to make a profitable business out of nurturing startups, but it’s a challenge to make money when your customer startups don’t have many resources to give. Mentoring and technical assistance from volunteer or paid experts. Direct seed funding, for a share of the equity, and introductions to investors.

Incubator 98

Incubator Startup Help Resource 98

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 2, 2011

It’s apropos because there is so much noise these days with email, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, web shows, etc. They could chat about it with their peers or mentors. I get many requests from recent graduates asking if I’d meet for a coffee or be a mentor. Mostly during the day I’m in meetings or doing work.

Email 287

Email Blogging Venture Capital Writing 287

socalTECH

AUGUST 9, 2013

We caught up with CEO Gabe Gottlieb recently to understand better why the company thinks transparency is important--and to try to understand better the tangled web of online ads. Tom eventually left to work on a startup, and I started traveling, reconnected with some former mentors, and really started diving into the space.

Advertising 153

Advertising Startup CTO Coach Study 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 16, 2012

For angel investors, early-stage means there is a good business plan and maybe a prototype, but no customer revenue. For VCs, early-stage means customer revenue is less than $10M. This is a concept coined (and trademarked) by Eric Ries a few years ago, primarily for software and web applications. Business accelerator.

Entrepreneur 101

Entrepreneur Startup Seed Funding Incubator 101

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 26, 2011

They are dedicated to providing high-availability systems, beautiful user interfaces, furious developer support and unparalleled customer care. As of May 2010, CallFire has over 20,000 customers! is a web hosting and virtualization service provider headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Custom ad deals and partnerships.

Tech Coast Angels 80

Tech Coast Angels Southern California Los Angeles Santa Monica 80

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2011

For angel investors, early-stage means there is a good business plan and maybe a prototype, but no customer revenue. For VCs, early-stage means customer revenue is less than $10M. This is a concept coined (and trademarked) by Eric Ries a couple of years ago, primarily for software and web applications. Business accelerator.

Startup 92

Startup Funding Seed Funding Incubator 92

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 1, 2016

If you wait to incorporate the business until you have a product and customers, which normally has no taxable value until liquidity, it will be taxed at issuance at the current value. Until you have a business, you shouldn’t get a web domain name or social media accounts, since these all should match and are hard to change later.

Company 61

Company Companies Startup Equity 61

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 8, 2011

Their team is a small group of technology-minded innovators who are committed to doing things differently — from automotive design, manufacturing and distribution, to service needs and the entire customer experience. As of May 2010, CallFire has over 20,000 customers! We hear they might bring something special to this event….wonder

CalTech 100

CalTech Technical Review Company Companies 100